The invention relates to a process for mounting a tiltable cover on a vehicle roof as well as to an arrangement for carrying out this process.
A process for mounting a tiltable cover on a vehicle roof is disclosed for sliding lifting roofs on motor vehicles. In a first process step, a tilt-out device for the cover is fastened to the underside of the vehicle roof. Then the front area of the cover, through an opening in the roof, is connected with a transverse shaft which is constructed at laterally opposite sliding blocks which can be adjusted in longitudinal guides of the roof. Subsequently, the cover is swivelled into a position which closes the opening in the roof. In this position, the cover is slightly lowered with resPect to the exterior surface of the roof.
In order to be able to connect the cover, in a closed position which is flush to the roof contour, with a vertically adjustable cross-strut of the tilt-out device, the cover must be lifted into a corresponding position. The precise adjustment of the cover to a closed position which is flush with the roof contour is difficult because the cover must be adjusted to the correct vertical position and must be fastened to the cross-strut, and, in addition, the vertical position of the cover must be checked at the top side of the vehicle roof. The adjusting of the vertical position of the cover to a closed position which is flush with the roof contour therefore often requires a repeated adjustment which is time consuming and unreliable.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a process which permits a simple and fast adjusting of the cover to a height provided in the closed position.
These and other objects are achieved by a process which limits a swivelling movement of the cover at the closed position.
According to preferred embodiments of the process, it is particularly advantageous that, after the fastening of the tilt-out device, the cover must be swivelled only to a stop of a gauging arrangement located at the rear area of the cover to be at a height which, for example, is flush with the roof contour, at which the cover can be connected with the cross-strut. Since the cover, in the front, supports itself at a transverse shaft and, in the rear, at the stop of the gauging arrangement, the fastening of the cover to the cross-strut takes place free of the load of the cover. As far as the height is concerned, the front transverse shaft of the cover can easily be arranged such that the front cover area is also located at a height which is flush with the roof contour in the closed position of the cover. If a tiltable draft deflector is arranged between the front edge of the roof opening and the cover, this draft deflector can compensate for deviations in height of the transverse shaft which are caused by manufacturing tolerances.
It is another object of the invention to provide a gauging arrangement for carrying out the process of the present invention which, without damage to any parts, can be mounted at the cover or at the vehicle body and, after the mounting of the cover, can be easily removed.
This additional object and other objects are achieved by using a gauging arrangement which has a stop for limiting the swivelling movement of the cover in the closed position.
A magnetic or adhesive strip, according to one embodiment of the gauging arrangement, must only be placed or possibly pressed on a rear upper edge of the cover while projecting toward the rear in order to be fastened to the top side of the cover by magnetic or adhesive force. The area of the magnetic or adhesive strip which projects toward the rear forms a stop behind the opening in the roof, which after the swivelling of the cover, rests on the top side of the roof and fixes the closed position of the cover. Since, in the closed position, the magnetic or adhesive strip rests on the top side of the cover and, on the top side of the vehicle roof, the rear are of the cover is necessarily flush with the roof contour. A scratching of the surface of the cover which may, for example, be painted, can be avoided by the fact that the magnetic strip is covered by a soft material or the adhesive strip is constructed t be elastically bendable.
A ledge, according to another embodiment of the present invention, which can be used instead of the magnetic or adhesive strip, must only be placed on the vehicle roof behind the opening of the roof in transverse direction in such a manner that a wall section thereof projecting away from the ledge through the opening in the roof and in downward direction rests against the rear edge of the opening in the roof. If the cover which, in the front area, is pivotably fastened to the transverse shaft, is swivelled until it rests against the stop constructed in the lower area of the wall section of the ledge, the cover is disposed in a closed position which is, for example, flush with the roof contour in which, free of the load of the cover, it can be connected with the cross-strut. When the cover is tilted out, the ledge can be easily removed from the vehicle roof.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.